Method of producing welding metal



Aug. 2, 1927. 1,637,619

A. LUcAs METHOD 0F ,PBODUCING WELDING METAL Filed Nov. 16, 1925 INVENTORY iff/gf? 05H61 A'TTORNEY Patented Aug. 2,1921.

U N I T E D STATES PATENT o-FFiCE.

ANTON LUCAS, 0F KANSAS CITY,MISSOURIA IITHOD OF ZPBGDUCING WELDING'appiicazion nica November is, 1925. serial mi. 69,334.

rails, with a metal product from a mixture 1y in the Crucible.

reaction is ra operator and of iron-oxide and powdered aluminum i orother reducing metal or alloy, by interaction of such elements afterignition in a Crucible.

The usual method of effecting such reduction has heretofore been toplace the mixture in a plugged Crucible, ignite the mixture and permitthe reduction to progress downward- While this method has been effectivein so far as the reduction is Concerned, it involves objections due tothe nature of thematerial.

Reaction .of an alumino-thermic mass is violent, proceeds downward withmuch greater rapidity than upwardly or laterally, and when occurring ina crucible,results in the steel beingquickly separated fr oin the slag.Consequently, when reaction is in1ti ated at the top of the crucible,Asteel is not available at the tap hole until the entire mass has beenreduced, and while this downward` id, this method results `in aspattering of t e contents, with danger to the loss of material, whichtends to lower the uality of the steel.

I have ound that by initiating the reaction at the bottom of theCrucible, these objections are overcome, a better quality of steelresults, and on the Crucible which tends to prolong its life. r

In Connection' with my improved method I employ a Crucible and apurtenances, the preferred form of which is. illustrated in theaccompanying drawing wherein f 1 designates a Crucible of the typeusually employed for .such purposes, preferably Comsed o f Castl 'ron orCast steel and avii'ig walls of suiiicient thickness to carry of heaterated by the reaction Carried on within it, the Crucible being linedwith refractory material if desired, although such lining is `not anessential element wit my method, for the reasons resently stated.

The Cruci le has a tap hole 2 at its lower end, preferably lined withrefractory maa beneficial effect produced v terial 3, and extendingthrough the vta hole is the usual pin 4 having a head 5 c osing the holewithin the Crucible. I prefer to cover the head of the pin with a bed ofwdered refractory material 6 to protect 1t from the heat from themelting material, the ystructure above described being similar to thatordinarily used for such urposes.

In practicing my method, owever, I place a'quantity of 1 nition powder 7in the bottom of the crucib e, over the pin and iefractory material. Ithen insert a tube 8 into the receptacle so that it rests on theignition powder, and then fill the receptacle above the ignition powderyand about the tube with, the alumino-thermic mixture 9. I then ignitethe ignitionpowder by vdropping a match or projecting a hot rod 10through the tube into Contact with the pow-der. The burning powdersetsup a re'- action in the mixture, melting the elements. The moltensteel being the heavier, settles to the bottom of the Crucible, and theslag, being the lighter, floats to the top. As the reaction progresses,the slag coming in Contact with the relatively Cold wall of theCrucible, is Chilled. and adheres to the Cru- Cible, `formin a Coatthereover, which protects the Crucible from the molten steel andconfines the heat.

It is ap arent that as the reaction starts from the ttom and progressesupwardly through the mass in the crucible, the spettering is avoided.The reaction is slower but less violent and separation of the elementsmore thorough and the natural separation of the elements of differentgravit results in the sla `linin .the Crucible in a Vance of level of te mo ten steel, thereby affording better rotection for the Crucible thanin a methodpwherein theA reaction is initiated in the .top of the massand progressed downwardly. f- 1 'WhatI Claim and desire to secure byLetters-Patent is y 1. The method of effecting alumino-ther micreaction, Consisting of locating an ignition element in the bottom of aCrucible, locating an ignition conduit above said element, locatinganalumino-thermi'c mixture within the Crucible above the ignition ele-lment and about the conduit, and assinganigniting element through the conuit to the ignition element.

2. The method of effecting alumiiio-thermic reaction, consisting oflocating an Y g Y insigni@ alumino-thermic mixture in a crucihe,ioaumino-thermic mixture in a crucible, io-

.cating an ignition element below the surface eating an ignition elementbelow the surfce 10 of the said mixture,A locating ani ignition conofsaid mixture, iocating an ignition conduit duit above the ignitionelement', and passing in communication with said ignition element 5 anigniting element through the conduit to and passing an igniting elementthrough the the 1 'tion element. conduit to the ignition element.

\ 3. lhe method of eecting -aiumino-ther- En testimony whereof I aix mysignature.

mic inaction, consisting oi locating on ANTON LUCAS.

